Critical Thinking in Management
Duration
- One Semester or equivalent
Contact hours
- 36
On-campus unit delivery combines face-to-face and digital learning. For Online unit delivery, learning is conducted exclusively online.
2021 teaching periods
Hawthorn
| Higher Ed. Semester 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
Dates: Results: Last self enrolment: Census: Last withdraw without fail: |
Swinburne Online
| Teaching Period 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
Dates: Results: Last self enrolment: Census: Last withdraw without fail: |
Corequisites
Concurrent prerequisites :
A unit can be either completed prior to commencing study or taken at the same time.
Or
Or
And
Aims and objectives
This unit will help students make effective decisions in a complex business environment. The unit will assist students to think clearly and rationally about business challenges, and make judicious use of logic, evidence and ethics to make informed judgements. It will help students to review, analyse and evaluate the managerial literature. Students will understand the relationship between creativity and critical thinking, and gain insight into the value of developing reflective practice in the workplace.
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
1. Develop informed decisions in complex business environments, drawing on logical reasoning, reliable sources of evidence and academic theory.
2. Recognise faulty thinking and cognitive biases, and explain how they contribute to or influence decision making.
3. Analyse managerial issues using multiple ethical frameworks, and decide on a principled course of action.
4. Apply multiple problem-solving strategies for analysing a complex business issue, and formulate an innovative solution.
Unit information in detail
- Teaching methods, assessment, general skills outcomes and content.
Teaching methods
Face to Face Mode:
Scheduled hours: Lectures (12 x 1 hour), Tutorials (12 x 2 hours)
Engaging with online content and discussions
Student workload:For all teaching and learning structures (both face to face and online), students are expected to spend an average of 150 hours per unit in total over the duration of the study period
This includes all:
• Scheduled teaching and learning events and activities (contact hours timetabled in a face-to-face teaching space) and scheduled online learning events (contact hours scheduled in an online teaching space), and
• Non-scheduled learning events and activities (including directed online learning activities, assessments, independent study, student group meetings, and research)
• Read all prescribed materials and/or view videos in preparation for each class
• Attend and engage in all scheduled classes (face to face or online)
• Start assessment tasks well ahead of the due date, and submit assessments promptly
• Read / listen to all feedback carefully, and consider it for future assessment
• Engage with fellow students and teaching staff (don’t hesitate to ask questions)
Assessment
Online Presentation (Individual) 20- 30%
Case Study Analysis (Individual) 30 - 40%
Major Assignment (Individual) 30 - 50%
Case Study Analysis (Individual) 30 - 40%
Major Assignment (Individual) 30 - 50%
General skills outcomes
During this unit students will receive feedback on the following key generic skills :
• problem solving skills
• analysis skills• communication skills
• ability to tackle unfamiliar problems, and
• ability to work independently
Content
• Forming and evaluating the strength of arguments
• Using principles of evidence-based management to inform decision making
• Historical approaches to the study of organisations and managerial tasks.
• Ethics and corporate social responsibility
• Cognitive biases and persuasion tactics
• The role of rational and intuitive thinking in management decision-making
• Reflective skills for learning and improving performance
• Critical thinking skills for dealing with contemporary management issues
• Using principles of evidence-based management to inform decision making
• Historical approaches to the study of organisations and managerial tasks.
• Ethics and corporate social responsibility
• Cognitive biases and persuasion tactics
• The role of rational and intuitive thinking in management decision-making
• Reflective skills for learning and improving performance
• Critical thinking skills for dealing with contemporary management issues
Study resources
- Reading materials.
Reading materials
Students are advised to check the unit outline in the relevant teaching period for appropriate textbooks and further reading.